Do You 'Back Button' Autofocus?

[Andrew Boyd]

Did you ever learn how to 'back button' autofocus? Does your camera offer this option? Here's why this method is so clearly superior to shutter release focusing:
Quick Tip: Learn to Use Back-Button Autofocus
Andrew
The Discerning Photographer

[TPF Sponsor]

[kundalini]

A recent discussion about Live View had some opinions expressed on the "back button" for AF.

Live View in a DSLR... (NOT what I thought)


I'm a firm believer on the AF-ON button for autofocus.

[eric-holmes]

Does the Nikon D90 have it?

[kundalini]

..... bites tounge .....

[fiveoboy01]

Absolutely. AF-ON is the only method I use ever. No switching between AF-C and AF-S and I control the focus, not the camera. Also seems to get more keepers with moving subjects.

[fiveoboy01]

Does the Nikon D90 have it?

Doesn't have an AF-ON button, but you can program the AF-L/AE-L button to function the same as the AF-ON button would on a higher end Nikon body.

[Garbz]

Highly situation dependant as is the choice between AF-C and AF-S shooting modes. I find AF-On to be most useful in situations where there is a high chance of not finding focus for macro shots or night shots where you may want to focus once and shoot multiple frames.

[Mike_E]

I don't know about Canon but my Nikon has an exposure comp button about a half an inch from the shutter button and a thumb wheel to make it do whatever you want.

[Big Mike]

I've been doing this for years. It now freaks me out when I pick up a camera that uses the shutter release button to focus.

CF4 all the way!

[gsgary]

Used it for years, it's no big secret

[Joves]

Mostly the AF-On but as Garbs said it is really dependent on the subject. Which is true with any settings you will use on your camera or, should.

[UUilliam]

Why would you use the back button?
I prefer the half-press shutter, its quicker to use and I dont use exposure lock much

[Montana]

I use back button on my 40D which is mainly used for sports and wildlife. On the 5DII I am in studio a lot and use a wireless radio release.

[wgp1987]

Im not a hundred percent on this in my head. You can have the rear autofocus button autofocus differantly than the shutter autofocus? Does both buttons have to AF the same way? I have done zero research on the matter and it itrigued me.

[fiveoboy01]

Why would you use the back button?
I prefer the half-press shutter, its quicker to use and I dont use exposure lock much

I prefer it because it seperates the autofocus and shutter release functions to two seperate buttons. No gingerly half-pressing the shutter to get focus working, and no accidentally tripping the shutter, now to activate focus you have a much more positive action, and you can just bang the shutter button how you want.

As I said for me, I can leave my camera in AF-C, and not have to switch it.

I get more keepers with action shots too, this seems to be a general trend among people who use this method.

Not really sure on how Canon's works, but for my Nikon using the AF-ON button doesn't activate exposure lock(though I believe I can program it to do so), there is another button for that.